This week, my Fiend Folio entries focus on basic grunt monsters from the original Folio. My rewrites give little twists to both of these monsters, but keep them as low-level thugs with a little different flavor.
Crabmen
Amphibious creatures usually found in sea-shore caves,
crabmen are nine foot tall humanoids but with a hard, reddish-brown
exoskeleton. Instead of hands they have two pincers.
Crabmen greatly value silver and will go to any lengths to
obtain it, even attacking a character suspected of carrying any item made of
this metal. In normal circumstances, however, they are quite pacific creatures,
though from time to time an instinct makes them leave their coastal dwelling to
mount a savage raid inland, roaming in bands of 30 or 40 creatures and
pillaging all property in their path, not hesitating to attack those who would
defend.
Crabmen are often subjected to raids by sahuagin who
consider them a tasty delicacy. However the sahuagin's usual net-throwing tactics
are ineffective against crabmen since the latter's natural weaponry allows them
to cut through nets very quickly.
Crabman
Large humanoid,
neutral
Armor Class: 15
Hit Points: 38
(6d10 +5)
Speed: 20
feet, 15 feet swimming
STR 14 (+2), DEX 14 (+2), CON 13
(+1), INT 8 (-1), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 6 (-2)
Skills: Athletics
+4, Perception +2
Senses: Tremorsense
30 feet, Passive Perception 12
Languages: Aquan,
Common
Actions
Pincers: melee
weapon attack, reach 5 feet, one target, hit 7 (2d4+2) slashing damage. A
creature struck by the crabman must roll a Strength save (DC 12) or become
grappled.
Dire Corby
This subterranean race of huge black bipedal birds contains
ferocious fighters which need never check morale. Long ago the dire corbies
lost the power of flight; however they make up for this with their great
strength and ferocity, always attacking and fighting to the death. What were
once wings have now developed as two powerful arms which end in sharp,
rock-hard claws.
They hunt in flocks, running down their hapless victims, at
the same time emitting horrifying shrieks. They have rudimentary language
(their attack cry can be recognised as 'Doom! Doom I' by those familiar with
it).
Dire corbies live in large underground caverns; at one time
there was open warfare between them and giant bats, but this has now become an
uneasy truce.
Dire Corby
Medium humanoid,
neutral evil
Armor Class: 15
Hit Points: 26
(4d8+8)
Speed: 40
feet
STR 14 (+2), DEX 15 (+2), CON 15
(+2), INT 8 (-1), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 8 (-1)
Skills: Perception
+3, Stealth +4
Senses: Darkvision
120 feet, Passive Perception 13
Languages: Dire
Corby
Disorienting Shrieks: Creatures
within 20 feet of a dire corby must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw, or it can’t
take reactions until the end of its next turn. On its turn, the target can’t
move, and it uses its action to make a melee or ranged attack against a
randomly determined creature within range. If
the target can’t attack, it does nothing on its turn.
Actions
Claws: melee
weapon attack, reach 5 feet, one target, hit 9 (2d6+2) slashing damage.
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